The court heard that Mr Tiong, 32, and his colleagues went to the Sonar pub in Orchard Hotel at 11pm on Sept 2 last year and saw their friends celebrating the birthday of Tan's girlfriend. They went over to mingle with the group, which included Tan.

About three hours later, while Mr Tiong was talking to Tan's girlfriend, he touched her shoulder.

Tan suddenly came up to him and punched his forehead. Mr Tiong fell to the floor and felt a pain in his right shoulder when he tried to get up.

He grabbed Tan's shirt and asked him why he hit him, but Tan responded by punching his right cheek more than five times. The pub's security staff and Tan's friends intervened and broke up the fight.

Mr Tiong was taken to hospital, where he was treated for a dislocated shoulder. He was given four days of medical leave. Tan's lawyer Louis Joseph said his client was remorseful.

For voluntarily causing hurt, Tan could have been jailed up to two years and fined $5,000.

pohian@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Aug 27, 2014. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.